The Slave Girl

Chapter 1

Gaion

Cold…

She drew in a breath from the chilled evening air, as she woke up and shivered.

It was night time, and the temperature in the room had gone down, as it did every night.

She tried to stretch as she lay entangled in the arms and legs of the creature that had rescued her and had saved her life. He stirred in his sleep at the slight movement, but was in no danger of waking.

She felt his claws scrape her back lightly, as she arched into another stretch.

It was no use. She couldn't get a good stretch in so she squirmed around for a comfortable position; a difficult task when the creature weighed more than she did.

His one arm was under her neck, and their legs were entwined. Thank goodness his weight rested on the bedding in his nest and not her.

Gaion was taller than her when he stood upright, outweighed her by a good hundred pounds, and could kill her in a heartbeat, but he always had treated her kindly.

He kept her as a pet, a source of amusement, companion, and the occasional playmate for his offspring. He never used her as men did. Truthfully, she didn't know if she'd survive it.

She had seen him once completely naked, but even that was a relative term. What word could you use to describe a 7 foot reptilian creature without a loin covering?

Sexually, they were incompatible; her being human, and him having three….she shuddered, and tried to shake off the memory of what she'd been subjected to over the years by men.

He knew of her past, or had at least surmised it then, and he'd covered himself for her comfort when she'd accidentally walked in on him washing up.

The crew wore similar loin cloths, not because of her, but it was considered… polite. It was rather rude to have your private parts on display when it wasn't a mating cycle.

The first time she'd heard this tremendous ruckus coming from one of the staterooms, she had jumped in fright. He chuckled.

To her it sounded like someone was killing someone else, but he patiently explained it was all part of the mating ritual. She swallowed with some difficulty, but he assured her that she was safe.

Zara stretched her legs once more and settled back down. His body was cool, but it was the only warmth she could avail herself of at the moment. She couldn't reach the blanket, so she settled for his body.

The beginning…

Gaion had flown his ship to a nearby star system in search of new opportunities. It had been a while since his crew had had some down time, and truthfully, they could use some fresh supplies.

He was a ship's captain and a trader by circumstance, but it hadn't always been so. Still, he grew into his position and became one of the most respected and reliable of his people.

He grew up like any other of his kind; on a planet where the days were warm and the nights cold. He enjoyed basking in the sun, letting the heat of the day seep deep into his thick and scaly skin. At night, he'd snuggle up to his litter mates, all 25 of them, in their nest that rested deep underground and away from the chilled night air.

Females of their clan would take turns overseeing and educating the young, while the eldest males no longer fit to do much else, would educate them in less formal things.

One male in particular taught Gaion the value of wanting more for himself. An old ship's captain himself, he had finally retired and come home to a life of ease. From then on, Gaion had raised his head and looked up at the stars, and saw them in a new way.

When the Wanderers of their people came to trade and visit, Gaion would beg for stories, and would sit enthralled just listening. He knew he wanted to be a part of this.

As Gaion grew, he heard stories of different planets, different species far different from his own people, and he was fascinated.

Chastised by his litter-mates for his interest in these other species, they soon drifted away from Gaion, and thought he was odd.

As they all got older, they sought out their own opportunities, and went their own ways. Gaion alone stood firm in his belief that one day he too, would be telling adventure stories to the young.

When the days got longer, Gaion grew restless. He went to the elder male and asked how he could be included in a crew. The elder barked a scratchy laugh, but said he'd pass the word.

One day, a young male came to Gaion with a message to meet the elder male. Gaion raced to the meeting with hope in his heart. He was not disappointed.

"I have vouched for you, young one, and have found a captain willing to take you aboard, but the life is not an easy one."

"I've had enough of easy. I don't want to idle my life away."

After speaking with Gaion, the captain welcomed him aboard.

For the next 40 years Gaion worked hard, trained hard and learned hard. He was tested over and over again, and he passed each and every test. One thing remained however, his skill with other species. So, his captain abandoned him among strangers. He had to learn this most crucial of things; how to work with others unlike himself.

At first Gaion was angry at being abandoned, but he gradually learned the value of others' strengths and weaknesses. He also learned that his perceptions of others were limited. What he once perceived as weakness, he grew to understand could be a strong and steadfast ally.

When his captain came back for him, Gaion was different. He had matured, both intellectually and emotionally. Finally, he was ready for his final test.

But the test came in a way no one could have predicted.

The day before it was scheduled, their ship ran into space pirates, and a battle ensued. The ship was badly damaged, many of the crew had died, and it included their beloved captain. The pirates had gotten away with much of their supplies and fled. What was left of Gaion's people struggled to just survive.

With little food, and little in the way of supplies, the ship, now commanded by Gaion, limped along to the closest planet. The engines were in dire need of repair and going was slow. Gaion was forced to make decisions he did not want to, but for the sake of all of them, he did. The worst of the injured were left untreated, given only comfort care until they perished. There was not enough food, water or air for all of them to survive otherwise.

As he was given notice of yet another no longer alive, he'd wept bitterly, as they all had. Still mourning their losses, Gaion had gotten those he could, safely to a planet.

As they buried their dead in alien soil, he'd sent word to their families. He sat and grieved with his crew. They burrowed underground for the night and snuggled up with each other, and softly sang the songs to honor the dead.

When morning came, Gaion was formally accepted as captain, and the crew began the arduous task of getting their ship repaired. It took a long time, but with trade, hard labor and much sacrifice, they pulled together and made it happen.

Now, as Gaion looked around at his bridge crew, he recalled those desperate days. He had grown with his crew, and they were the most loyal of any ship in the fleet. They would die for him, as they knew he would die for them. His mate had fought to save others. She was a strong female, but she knew the ship and crew came before her own desires. It was her love that drove her on, even when she knew she had sustained an ultimately fatal injury. She fell back and retreated to her nest of offspring for her final battle.

Love. Gaion shook his head. This thing was both weakness and strength. He sighed as they drew into orbit. He had learned the hard way about the width and breadth of love; the giddy weak feeling and the determination that both encompassed and entwined this, that bound this to one's inner self.

"Captain?" The communications officer turned to him.

He nodded to her. "Open a channel."

Once he had secured permission to land in what passed for a spaceport, he felt his muscles tense as he watched the descent in the front view screen.

As some of the crew gathered by the exit door of the ship, he reminded them of caution. They all knew the drill, but it was re-assuring to hear him say it.

The security detail left to guard the ship watched every movement of the passersby. Nothing would get by them, to fail meant the forfeiture of their lives and the lives of everyone they protected.

Gaion stepped out onto the sandy soil. No good for burrowing, he thought. Too loose. He took in a deep breath; the air was a bit thin, but acceptable. He set out to wander around the small city.

It didn't take his people long to find the market, and they nosed around looking for bargains. Gaion's top negotiator was hard at work to get them needed bulk supplies, and she always succeeded.

Gaion picked up a few sparkly things he knew would bring a good price on other worlds and added them to his carryall bag. He then sampled some of the foodstuffs; too bitter, too sweet, ah, acceptable. He bought what he could use and placed them in his bag as well.

He wandered over to an area where he saw many others had gathered, curious at what had drawn them. It wasn't until he was up close did he recognize what it was; a slave auction.

Gaion watched as a slave trader yanked the unfortunate soul onto the wooden staging area by a rope that was wound around its neck. The animal resisted but could not effectively fight back and was dragged along the floor. Animal was the best description Gaion could come up with. He didn't even know what species it was. It hissed as it fought back, but it was clear that it would be a short battle. The trader drew out a whip and flailed at the poor thing. It cried out in pain as the whip struck flesh. It cowed and whimpered in fear after that.

Slave after slave was sold before Gaion's horrified eyes. Some species he recognized; Altons, Gryzons, and Norridians, and some he didn't. He was about to leave when he saw a pair of humans dragged onto the stage. Neither of them wore a stitch. Gaion judged the female to be of child-bearing age by the size and shape of her breasts. The male was younger than she, but still old enough. He turned, unable to watch anymore. The shouts of bids echoed in his hearing cavities as he walked away.

The effort Gaion made to stifle out the auction left him unfocused to the world around him, and when he came to his senses, he realized with a start that he'd actually gone deeper into the slave market. He shook his head and a soft growl escaped his throat. He was determined to escape this nightmare, but when he forced himself around, his gaze fell on a pitiful creature in an impossibly tiny cage.

A couple of youngsters were poking a stick at it, but the creature held within barely moved. Gaion felt his feet walk closer in spite of himself. The young chuckled with laughter as they raced around the cage poking their sticks at it from different angles. Cheers went up when the creature finally let out a pitiful yelp.

Gaion's stomachs, all three, churned with acid when his mind finally sorted out the scene. It was a small human female. Her hair was matted with mud and debris. The thin cloth barely covered her frame. She was filthy. The cage was so small she had to sit cross-legged within it. She leaned against one side and she let out another yelp as one of the offspring kicked the cage. The other had found a bigger stick and was trying to stab her breast. She offered no fight.

Gaion could stand by no more. He marched angrily to the children. "What are you doing?" he barked.

The children jumped and ran away.

Gaion knelt and peered at her. She was even thinner than he originally thought. Gaion rose when the booth tender came over.

"She's not for sale. She's defective."

"I don't care. Why were you letting those offspring poke at her?"

"I'm just watching over the booth until the owner returns, but I'm telling you, she's not for sale."

"Then why is she here?"

He shrugged. "It amuses the owner. I have some other specimens over here, if you're interested."

Gaion felt his blood pressure rise, and as the booth tender began his sales spiel, the owner returned. "Can I help you?"

Gaion looked at her again, and found himself asking what the price was for her.

"She's not for sale."

"Then why is she here?" Gaion had repeated his earlier inquiry.

"Maybe I just like watching the kids torture her, she's not good for anything else, not anymore. I won her in a game of chance, but when I found out she was worthless, I killed her previous owner."

"I will buy her."

"She's not for sale. I told you."

"Why do you keep her when I will offer you these?" Gaion pulled out some gems he had brought for trading.

The owner's eyes opened wide, money symbols mentally chalked up in his brain. "How many you got?"

Gaion opened his hand more. "Ten gems of good value and clarity."

The owner mentally calculated in his head. The gems were worth 1000 times her value. "Done."

Gaion would not give him the gems until the female was removed from the cage.

She could barely move. The cloth that draped her hung at odd angles, and she wore nothing underneath. She crawled out on hands and knees. Her body was bruised and she smelled bad.

The owner held out his hand for payment. Greedy son of a grunt-snort, Gaion thought. He dropped the gems into his hand, and with a sweeping move, he gently picked her up.

"Good luck with her, you just bought yourself a dead slave."

Gaion peeled off her garment gingerly.

The medic had been called as soon as Gaion hit the ramp. Together, they washed her and then the medic examined her. "She needs more help than I can give her."

"Recall everyone. We take flight as soon as everyone has returned."

The medic dipped her head, and issued the orders.

When everyone had been accounted for and the trade goods loaded, the ship lifted off. Gaion headed for familiar territory at maximum speed.

The medic kept her alive during the journey with pulverized food, watered down enough for her to sip. She tried to make it taste good, but it didn't seem to matter to the female on the table.

Gaion finally found a place that was familiar enough with humans to have her examined. She tried to fight, but she was so weak. The healer thought it best to put her to sleep for the exam, and gave her an injection. She drifted off, but not before her haunted eyes bore a hole into Gaion's soul.

"The prognosis is bad, Gaion. I doubt she'll even survive surgery." The healer handed Gaion the report.

"Please try."

The healer nodded, but he was clearly not hopeful.

So, they spent the next week forcing nutrients into her starved body to build up her strength. Time was of the essence. Her heart was giving out, so to keep her from straining it, they kept her semi sedated.

The healer had her fully sedated on surgery day, and began the procedure.

Gaion waited outside, re-reading the report given to him last week. It wasn't pretty. She'd sustained so many injuries. There was residual evidence of broken bones. Scars crisscrossed her back, and there were odd smaller ones all over her body; hands, arms, legs, and torso. There was evidence of past surgeries, including the removal of her reproductive organ. The reason why was a mystery.

Gaion looked up when he'd heard a noise. The healer came out of the surgical room, and Gaion stood up immediately. "And?"

"She lives."

Gaion exhaled.

"She will need to take medicine for the rest of her life if she wishes to live; otherwise she will be back in this situation."

Gaion nodded.

It didn't take long before that happened. Exactly 2 months later she was back in surgery for the same thing.

"It was missed the first time around. I couldn't see it. My knowledge of humans is good, but not great."

"Will she live?"

"If she takes her medicine, she has a good chance."

Life with Gaion

Zara woke up in a soft, comfortable bed. A dim light illuminated the small room. She was disoriented for a bit while the anesthesia wore off…again.

This was the second time in as many months that she had woken up here, alone.

When her head cleared a bit, she went into the familiar panic she'd always felt upon waking up. She felt all over her body for signs of hurt and pain.

She checked her arms and stomach for signs of new cuts, but she found none. Next, she squeezed her legs together and waited to feel the burning between them, but felt no pain. Her right hip hurt though, right where the leg connected to her body.

She knew from two months ago if she touched there, it would cause pain. What have they done to me now?

The tears started to fall; partly from the pain and partly from the fear of what they'd done to her.

The first time she had woken up she felt different. It took her some time to realize that she could breathe easier than before….she couldn't remember how long it had been since she'd been able to take in a full breath. Time no longer meant anything to her.

She was frightened when Gaion had first walked in after her first surgery. She rubbed her eyes to clear away the image, but his image remained. She'd wondered if it was all a dream, but she felt the pain in her hip and knew it wasn't.

"Do you speak?" Gaion had growled.

She shook her head. She didn't speak, but clearly she understood. "I will call you Zara. You are going to live with me."

Tears fell then too. She was in no position to fight or argue. She nodded her head as she had for other masters in her past. She was afraid. If she co-operated, maybe this creature would not hurt her. She nodded her head in submission. She had been "conditioned" to obey. Zara feared the punishment that would come if she did not obey.

Zara; it just another name in a string of names for her. Each new master would call her by whatever they wished; some didn't even bother to give her a name, just a number, or worse, just grabbed her by the hair and dragged her off. Zara, she thought. At least it sounded pleasant.

"Zara? Are you in here? I'm coming to find you!"

Zara snuggled closer to Gaion's female offspring, Zhuli, as they hid from her father.

It had taken many, many months before Zara felt comfortable in her new home. She had inadvertently taught Zhuli the game of hide and seek, and now Zhuli had taught her father.

Zhuli became a friend of sorts to Zara, and Gaion had allowed Zara and Zhuli to play together.

Zhuli was a little rough and scratched Zara the first time they had played. It had caused Zara to bleed profusely. Zhuli had hung her head as her father scolded her fiercely. Zara was so upset, that she crawled on the floor, and begged Gaion not to punish Zhuli.

Gaion assured them both that the scolding was the only punishment being handed out that day, and then tended to Zara's gash. Although he tried his best, he knew there would be yet another scar upon her body.

Zhuli giggled then, and gave away their hiding spot. Gaion came over and found them. Zhuli was young and sometimes forgot that the object of the game was to be successful in hiding from the hunter. But it was all in fun, and Zhuli shrieked as her father picked her up and spun her around. Zara smiled sadly as tiny flashes of distant memories assaulted her mind, of parents long-dead, spinning her around the very same way.